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Lesley Manieri's Miniature Knitting
   
Lesley Manieri has recently retired from her career as a high school teacher and can now turn what was once a part-time hobby into a full-time passion. She has always been a keen knitter taught by her mother at an early age. Even her father and brother were competent knitters, taught by her mother in their London air raid shelter during World War II!
Lesley’s interest in miniatures began when her father built a dollshouse from a pattern in a women’s magazine in the mid-1950’s, and she still continues to add to her collection of furnishings and accessories to this house. She began to make her own accessories when she had difficulty sourcing some 1950’s furniture and this led to her selling her creations, firstly through retail outlets and fairs.
Her 1/12th scale food items, plants and household accessories have been popular at the Sydney Dollshouse and Miniatures Show held annually at Bankstown (recently relocated to Homebush Bay) for many years now. Around 2001, Lesley found there was much interest in dolls clothes knitted in this tiny scale and now she focuses on both clothes and dressed dolls and sells at fairs in many capital cities in Australia, as well as trading at at least one fair in the US each year as well as the worlds biggest dolls house show, Miniatura, in England.
Because she is not a doll maker, Lesley uses predominantly dolls made in Switzerland, by Heidi Ott, although she is also a fan of the dolls made by South Australian artist, Bev Henderson. The Heidi Ott dolls come as babies, toddlers, children and teenagers and all have intricately detailed hands, feet and facial features. They are available in white and dark skin.
Lesley designs her own patterns, and knits mostly on size 19 (1mm) needles using a range of fine yarns. One-ply and half-ply wool, fine 100 crochet thread, rayon and acrylics and Gutterman thread are most commonly used. Finer size 21 (.75mm) needles are used in 1/24th scale knitting.
A key feature of the 1/12th scale dressed dolls is that the clothes are removable, and have buttons and ribbons which can be undone. Many customers buy additional outfits for their dolls. Some doll-owners have also requested specific commissions which Lesley is happy to complete.
No dolls house is complete without furnishings, and Lesley has also knitted bedspreads, lace drapes and canopies for four-poster beds, as well as curtains, doilies, tablecloths and cushions. In fact, knitted lace is one of her favourite tasks.
For anyone who would like to try their hand at creating a set of clothes, Lesley sells patterns as well as complete kits to get you started. The kit contains the pattern, needles, yarn, ribbons and buttons… and you can even purchase the Heidi Ott doll to go with it.
Lesley can be contacted at lmanieri@ihug.com.au or write to her at:-
249 Warringah Road
Beacon Hill NSW 2100
AUSTRALIA
or phone her on +61 2 8902 2513
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